Audi S3 facelift: 333PS

[Exonian]

https://youtu.be/ewuPLmXF_Ts?si=ovLuAf1u_Sg2Q3T3

The incoming S3 facelift gets all the goodies from the Golf R 333 as an option including Akrapovic (probably got a bunch of them leftover from the R as they’re not exactly a popular option)

We can assume the 8.5R will have the 333PS either as standard or in performance pack going from that which I think we’d all expected anyway

[monkeyhanger]

https://youtu.be/ewuPLmXF_Ts?si=ovLuAf1u_Sg2Q3T3

The incoming S3 facelift gets all the goodies from the Golf R 333 as an option including Akrapovic (probably got a bunch of them leftover from the R as they’re not exactly a popular option)

We can assume the 8.5R will have the 333PS either as standard or in performance pack going from that which I think we’d all expected anyway

I reckon that's got to be a £6k hike in RRP too, the base bare bones S3 was under £40k RRP (just) when I bought mine last April and had a £3k deposit contribution, against a £44k Golf R with no deposit contribution.

Surely the RS3 needs a power hike now, as there'll only be 67ps between it and the S3 for tgat extra cylinder it has.
Is there any point in an Akro exhaust since GPF hushed things so much? When the wife and I had his and hers Polo GTI+ at the same time, mine didn't have a GPF and hers did - the difference was massive.

[Exonian]

The Vorprung S3 is already nudging £50k with 306 horses and no MaccyD rear diff.
Goodness knows what a 333PS, Akra equipped car will end up costing.
When the RS3 eventually makes it back into production I’m sure it’ll have a power hike along with a huge price hike.

I’ve seen a couple mk8 R’s with akrapovič exhausts and they don’t fill out the cutouts as well as the standard ones and they look a bugger to clean. Not something I’d spend £3k on personally but some people obviously do. External noise at full chat might be a bit more dramatic but from the inside the Soundaktor will mask any tunefulness.

[Hertsman]

The Vorprung S3 is already nudging £50k with 306 horses and no MaccyD rear diff.
Goodness knows what a 333PS, Akra equipped car will end up costing.
When the RS3 eventually makes it back into production I’m sure it’ll have a power hike along with a huge price hike.

I’ve seen a couple mk8 R’s with akrapovič exhausts and they don’t fill out the cutouts as well as the standard ones and they look a bugger to clean. Not something I’d spend £3k on personally but some people obviously do. External noise at full chat might be a bit more dramatic but from the inside the Soundaktor will mask any tunefulness.

Having had Akra, the titanium is super easy to clean, it really is just a wipe, it has a teflon like surface.

However the 2019 R we have exhaust are super easy to clean opposed to my 2016 R which had some real tough deposits and some pitting to contend with, so the GPF changes have made that particular task much less onerous for every exhaust type.

Unless I as to pick a car up with Akra already added, there would be zero chance add as an option, they simply do not add enough to justify, and would say the only real add is in looks, and that would be subjective, as on some cars followed, they get lost in the shadows, where as you clearly see the chrome of the standards. Akra do look good on a walk up though, but £3k good?? Not really.

They were a free add on for me so it was easy to love them,

Would not say my Akra gave any better sound than the standard TCR exhaust also, think there is a Volkswizard video that pretty much confirms that,

[Exonian]

Good to know the titanium is easy maintenance Hertsman, it was those internal perforations I thought might be a bit fiddly to keep on top of.
The TCR and Ed45 have nice single (twin) oval pipes with a favourable profile where as the R and now S3 have twin round pipes that just aren’t as nice, particularly compared to the £3500 cheaper standard oval exhaust tips IMO.

[Dogman12]

Good to know the titanium is easy maintenance Hertsman, it was those internal perforations I thought might be a bit fiddly to keep on top of.
The TCR and Ed45 have nice single (twin) oval pipes with a favourable profile where as the R and now S3 have twin round pipes that just aren’t as nice, particularly compared to the £3500 cheaper standard oval exhaust tips IMO.

definitely a matter of choice. I prefer the round ones. That's why I love GTI more than CS 

[Exonian]

Conversely I can think of a good few reasons both aesthetically and dynamically why I prefer the Clubsport and R over the vin ordinaire GTI, none of which are related to tailpipe shape!
I don’t have an issue with round pipes, had plenty of cars with round pipes over the decades, I was referring more to the fact the 8R and new S3 FL have tailpipe cutouts for large oval exhausts which the round Akra pipes don’t fill properly which is a shame when you’re spending an extra £3.5k (UK)

[Hertsman]

Good to know the titanium is easy maintenance Hertsman, it was those internal perforations I thought might be a bit fiddly to keep on top of.
The TCR and Ed45 have nice single (twin) oval pipes with a favourable profile where as the R and now S3 have twin round pipes that just aren’t as nice, particularly compared to the £3500 cheaper standard oval exhaust tips IMO.

The oval pipes are 100% more preferable, they have real presence, where the Akrapovic just do not look right in the same slot, and think my stance would be, if the Akrapovic were on a car identified, then that's fine, but if they are not, that's fine also, the car condition, mileage and care, plus overall spec is where my attention would be, and style of the exhaust will play not much a part. 

You only really appreciate the style of Akrapovic when up close, as from a distance, they are hidden in the shadows, where bright chrome pipes have more visual prominence over a greater distance,

The little holes are easily dealt with by the way, just a soft bristled brush, removes any debris, cleaning product pretty readily.